Container closure

ABSTRACT

A container closure  10  for use with a bottle-type container, comprises an integrally formed plastics body  12  including a dispensing part  14  and a cap part  16  connected by a plastics hinge formation. The dispensing part  14  includes a base formation  20  having a depending skirt  22  for engaging the rim of the container and a dispensing nipple  24 . The cap part  16  is hingedly displaceable between an open position and a covering position in which the cap part  16  covers the base formation  20  and in which internal nipple sealing formations  30  cover the nipple  24  and hermetically seal the orifice defined thereby. The base formation and the cap part define complementary secondary sealing formations that sealingly engage one another when the cap part is in its covering position for sealing an internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.

FIELD OF INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a container closure.

The invention relates particularly to a container closure for abottle-type container, i.e. a container that has a neck including a rimat the end of the neck that defines an orifice. Any referencehereinafter to a container must be interpreted as a reference to abottle-type container of the above type.

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION

The container closure for a bottle-type container particularly is aplastics closure of the type that includes a dispensing part including abase formation having an operatively depending skirt, for seating on andsealingly engaging the rim defined by the neck of a container around itsorifice, and a dispensing nipple formation that projects from the baseformation and through which a liquid contained in the container can bedispensed/consumed. The container closure includes also a cap part thatdefines a dome formation, the cap part being integrally formed with thedispensing part and being connected thereto by a plastic hinge formationthat permits displacement of the cap part between a covering position,in which the dome formation partially covers the dispensing part andblocks the nipple formation of the dispensing part via internalformations defined thereby, and an open position, in which the nippleformation is exposed and products contained in an associated containercan be dispensed/consumed.

A container closure of the above type also commonly includes one or moreof the following:

a first anti-tamper arrangement, including typically a tamper indicatingring, secured to the skirt of the dispensing formation via a frangibleformation, for operatively indicating first removal of the entireclosure from a container by complete or partial separation of the ringfrom the skirt;

a second anti-tamper arrangement, including at least one portion of askirt formation, extending along at least a part of the periphery of thedome formation of the cap part and being attached to the cap part via afrangible formation, and the base formation of the dispensing part,which define complementary engagement formations configured topermanently inter-engage one another upon first displacement of the cappart into its covering position, i.e. following injection moulding whichoccurs commonly with the cap part in an open position, and thusrequiring separation of at least part of the said portion of the skirtformation of the cap part from the remainder of the cap part upon firstdisplacement of the cap part into its open position; and

sealing formations defined by the cap part that hermetically seal thenipple formation of the base formation of the closure when the cap partis in its covering position.

A problem that has been identified with the use of a container closureof the above type is associated with its use in conjunction with acontainer containing, for example, a beverage that does not includepreservatives and that requires to be effectively protected againstbacteria. Although the nipple formation projecting from the baseformation of such a closure is effectively protected, the operativerelationship between the base formation and the cap part, when in itscovering position, is such that air and liquid can enter the spacedefined within the cap part externally of the base formation. As such,entering of bacteria into the space is not effectively protectedagainst. It also is common to dip a container closure into an acid thathas anti-bacterial properties and the said relationship between the baseformation and the cap part of the closure referred to will permit acidto enter the space referred to, which again is not satisfactory.

It is thus an object of this invention to provide a container closure ofthe abovementioned type in respect of which the problems identifiedabove are at least ameliorated.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a container closure, whichcomprises a plastics body including:

a dispensing part including a base formation having an operativelydepending skirt, for seating on and sealingly engaging the rim definedby the neck of a container around its orifice, and a dispensing nippleformation, projecting from the base formation;

a cap part including a dome formation defining at least one internalnipple sealing formation;

a plastic hinge formation connecting the cap part to the dispensing partand permitting displacement of the cap part with respect to thedispensing part between an open position as moulded, in which the nippleformation of the dispensing part is exposed, and a covering position inwhich an internal space is defined between the cap part and thedispensing part and in which the nipple sealing formation defined by thecap part covers the nipple formation of the dispensing part andhermetically seals the nipple formation,

the container closure being characterised in that the cap part and thedispensing part define complementary secondary sealing formations thatsealingly engage each other when the cap part is in its coveringposition for sealing the internal space defined between the cap part andthe dispensing part.

According to one particular embodiment of the invention, the dispensingpart and the cap part define opposing peripheral abutment faces thatabut one another with the cap part disposed in its covering position,said opposing abutment faces defining the complementary secondarysealing formations for sealing the internal space defined between thecap part and the dispensing part.

The abutment face defined by the dispensing part may be a cylindrical,peripheral outer face portion of a raised crest formation defined by thebase formation of the dispensing part and the abutment face defined bythe cap part may be a complementary inner face portion that, in thecovering position of the cap part with respect to the dispensing part,overlappingly engages the raised crest formation defined by the baseformation of the dispensing part.

For the above abutment faces, the complementary secondary sealingformations may include a projecting peripheral rib formation projectingradially inwardly from the abutment face defined by the cap part and aperipheral groove defined within the abutment face of the dispensingpart, which sealingly engage one another with the cap part disposed inits covering position with respect to the dispensing part. Theperipheral rib formation and the complementary peripheral groove formingthe complementary secondary sealing formations may provide for the cappart to clip into its covering position when displaced from its openposition into its covering position.

Further according to the invention, the container closure may include afirst anti-tamper arrangement including a tamper indicating ring securedto the skirt of the dispensing formation via a frangible formation foroperatively indicating first removal of the entire closure from acontainer by complete or partial separation of the tamper indicatingring from the skirt.

The container closure may include a second anti-tamper arrangement whichmay include at least one portion of a skirt formation extending along atleast a part of the periphery of the dome formation of the cap part andbeing attached to the cap part via a frangible formation and thedispensing formation, the skirt formation of the second anti-tamperarrangement and the base formation of the dispensing part definingcomplementary engagement formations configured to permanently engage oneanother upon first displacement of the cap part into its coveringposition, thus requiring separation of at least a part of the saidportion of the skirt formation of the cap part from the remainder of thecap part upon first displacement of the cap part into its open position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described below with reference to two embodiments of acontainer closure, in accordance with the invention, which areillustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a first embodiment of acontainer closure, in accordance with the invention, in itsconfiguration when first applied to a bottle-type container and prior tofirst opening thereof;

FIG. 2 shows a three-dimensional view of the container closure of FIG.1, illustrating the operation of the anti-tamper arrangement thereofthat indicates first opening of the cap part of the closure;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of the container closure of FIG. 1, with thecap part thereof in its open position;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional side view of the container closure ofFIG. 1, in its configuration as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4B shows detail B of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4C shows detail C of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 shows a three-dimensional view of a second embodiment of acontainer closure, in accordance with the invention, in itsconfiguration when first applied to a bottle-type container and prior tofirst opening thereof;

FIG. 6 shows a three-dimensional view of the container closure of FIG.5, with the cap part thereof in its open position; and

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional side view of the container closure ofFIG. 5, in its configuration as shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, a first embodimentof a container closure, in accordance with the invention, is designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 10. The container closure 10 isconfigured particularly for use with a bottle-type container, theclosure comprising an integrally formed plastics body 12 that includesgenerally a dispensing part 14 and a cap part 16 that are connected by aplastic hinge formation 18 (see FIG. 3).

The dispensing part 14 includes a base formation 20 having anoperatively depending, internally threaded skirt 22, the dispensing partbeing configured for seating on and sealingly engaging the rim definedby the neck of a bottle-type container around its orifice. Thedispensing part 14 includes also a dispensing nipple formation 24 (seeFIGS. 3 and 4) which projects from the base formation 20 and throughwhich the contents of an associated container can be dispensed/consumed.The operative bottom edge of the skirt 22 has a first anti-tamperarrangement in the form of a tamper indicating ring 26 secured theretovia a frangible formation (not clearly shown), the tamper indicatingring 26 separating, completely or partially, from the skirt 22 uponfirst removal of the closure from its associated container.

The cap part 16 of the container closure 10 includes a dome formation28, the cap part being displaceable with respect to the dispensing partbetween an open position, in which the closure is moulded and in whichthe nipple formation 24 of the dispensing part is exposed (as shown inFIG. 3), and a covering position in which the cap part 16 effectivelycovers the base formation of the dispensing part and in which internalnipple sealing formations 30 defined by the dome formation of the cappart, cover the nipple formation 24 of the dispensing part andhermetically seal the orifice defined by the nipple formation (as shownin FIG. 4 of the drawings). In the covering position of the cap part, aninternal space 50 is defined between the cap part and the dispensingpart.

The cap part 16 includes also a second anti-tamper arrangement,particularly in the form of an anti-tamper tab 32 that is connected tothe cap part 16 by a frangible formation along a line 34, the tab 32defining engagement formations 36 which are configured to permanentlyengage complementary formations 38 defined by the base formation 14 uponfirst displacement of the cap part into its covering position, followingthe manufacture of the closure 10 by an injection moulding process whichprovides for the cap part to be formed while in its open position. Firstopening of the cap part 16 thus requires displacement of the tab 32 inthe configuration as shown in FIG. 2, resulting in severing of a portionof the tab 32 from the remainder of the cap part 16 by severing of thefrangible formation, the cap part 16 thus being displaceable into itsopen position as shown in FIG. 3 only after the displacement of the tab,which will render this clearly visible.

Insofar as the configuration of the container closure 10 as describedabove is already known and insofar as this does not form a part of thepresent invention, this is not described in any further detail herein.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the base formation 20of the dispensing part 14 of the closure 10 defines a raised crestformation 40 from which the nipple formation 24 projects, the crestformation 40 defining a cylindrical peripheral outer face portion 42which is overlappingly engaged by a complementary inner face portion 44of the cap part 16 (see FIGS. 4B and 4C). In the region of this overlapof the face portions 42 and 44 which, in practice, abut one another butare shown slightly spaced apart for the sake of clarity, the inner faceportion of the cap part 16 defines a peripheral rib formation 46 whichoperatively clips into a complementary peripheral groove 48 definedwithin the face portion 42, particularly in a configuration in which therib formation 46 and groove 48 form complementary secondary sealingformations that provide an effective seal between the base formation 20of the dispensing part 12 and the cap part 16, this seal being disposedoperatively above the tab 32, as is shown clearly in FIG. 4B. By theprovision of this seal, the internal space 50 defined within the cappart 16 of the closure 10 above the base formation 20 of the dispensingpart 12 is effectively sealed from the external environment, preventingthe ingress of any liquid, gaseous medium, or dust into this space. Thisis a preferred requirement in relation to the use of closures of thetype in conjunction with containers of which the contents must not beexposed to any bacteria, and the like. This particularly is arequirement in relation to, for example, natural beverages, that do notinclude the usual preservatives. This seal will prevent also the ingressof an acid into which a closure of the type is conventionally dipped foranti-bacterial purposes.

The container closure 10 is thus particularly suitable for use inconjunction with bottle-type containers of which the contents must beprotected against bacteria, and the like.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 to 7 of the drawings, a second embodiment of acontainer closure, in accordance with the invention, is designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 60. The closure 60 is essentially theequivalent of the closure 10, again comprising an integrally formedplastics body 62 which includes a dispensing part 64 and a cap part 66.In this case, the second anti-tamper arrangement includes two tab sealbands 68, each band 68 being a skirt formation part of the cap part 66connected to the remainder of the cap part via frangible formations 70,the bands being operatively trapped within complementary trap formations72 defined by the dispensing part 12 upon first displacement of the cappart into its covering position, following manufacture of the closure.First opening of the cap part from its covering position thus requiresseparation of the bands 68 from the remainder of the cap part 66 bysevering of the frangible formations 70, the bands remaining permanentlytrapped within the trap formations 72 and thereby rendering the factthat the cap part has been opened clearly visible.

For the remainder, the closure 60 again includes a sealing arrangementeffective between the cap part 66 and the dispensing part 64, foreffectively sealing the internal space within the cap part above thebase formation of the dispensing part in an equivalent manner to thatdescribed above with respect to the closure 10 (see FIG. 4) and asillustrated in detail in FIG. 7 of the drawings. This sealingarrangement is thus not again described.

It will be appreciated that the principles associated with theinvention, which provide essentially for sealing of the space betweenthe cap part and the base formation of the dispensing part of a closureof the type herein envisaged, can be achieved in different ways and canbe associated with container closures of various differentconfigurations, but of the general type. The invention accordinglyextends also to all such alternative configurations of containerclosures which incorporate the essential principles of the presentinvention.

1. A container closure, which comprises a plastics body including: a dispensing part including a base formation having an operatively depending skirt, for seating on and sealingly engaging the rim defined by the neck of a container around its orifice, and a dispensing nipple formation, projecting from the base formation; a cap part including a dome formation defining at least one internal nipple sealing formation; a plastic hinge formation connecting the cap part to the dispensing part and permitting displacement of the cap part with respect to the dispensing part between an open position as moulded, in which the nipple formation of the dispensing part is exposed, and a covering position in which an internal space is defined between the cap part and the dispensing part and in which the nipple sealing formation defined by the cap part covers the nipple formation of the dispensing part and hermetically seals the nipple formation, the container closure being characterised in that the cap part and the dispensing part define complementary secondary sealing formations that sealingly engage each other when the cap part is in its covering position for hermetically sealing the internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.
 2. The container closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the dispensing part and the cap part define opposing peripheral abutment faces that abut one another with the cap part disposed in its covering position, said opposing abutment faces defining the complementary secondary sealing formations for sealing the internal space defined between the cap part and the dispensing part.
 3. The container closure as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the abutment face defined by the dispensing part comprises a cylindrical, peripheral outer face portion of a raised crest formation defined by the base formation of the dispensing part and the abutment face defined by the cap part comprises a complementary inner face portion that, in the covering position of the cap part with respect to the dispensing part, overlappingly engages the raised crest formation defined by the base formation of the dispensing part.
 4. The container closure as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the complementary secondary sealing formations comprise a projecting peripheral rib formation projecting radially inwardly from the abutment face defined by the cap part and a peripheral groove defined within the abutment face of the dispensing part, which sealingly engage one another with the cap part disposed in its covering position with respect to the dispensing part.
 5. The container closure as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the peripheral rib formation and the complementary peripheral groove forming the complementary secondary sealing formations, provide for the cap part to clip into its covering position when displaced from its open position into its covering position.
 6. The container closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the container closure includes a first anti-tamper arrangement, including a tamper indicating ring secured to the skirt of the dispensing formation via a frangible formation for operatively indicating first removal of the entire closure from a container by complete or partial separation of the tamper indicating ring from the skirt.
 7. The container closure as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the container closure includes a second anti-tamper arrangement including at least one portion of a skirt formation extending along at least a part of the periphery of the dome formation and being attached to the cap part via a frangible formation, the skirt formation of the second anti-tamper arrangement and the base formation of the dispensing part defining complementary engagement formations configured to permanently engage one another upon first displacement of the cap part into its covering position, thus requiring separation of at least a part of said portion of the skirt formation of the cap part from the remainder of the cap part upon first displacement of the cap part into its open position. 